Puja is the Hindu way of worshiping gods. These
may be as simple or as elaborate as you choose. However, an
elaborate one done without complete proper understanding is
inert. It's best to keep worship simple and in love.
The puja presented here can be done by one person or a few
close friends or family members together. Some elaborate
pujas done in temples are done with thousands of
people!

Preparation

Take a ritual bath. This is done in
exactly the same way as for Wicca, including Samkhya Wicca.
A bath is prepared to the temperature of your liking. It is
scented with essential oils or bath salts. The person sits
in the tub, relaxes, clarifies their mind for the purpose
of the ritual, and gets in the mood for it. This can be
done with the lights dimmed or with candlelight, if
preferred.

The ritual area is swept, and perhaps otherwise cleaned. It
must be free of debris, dirt, and clutter.

The altar is set up. It does not have to be elaborate. A
small wooden table with one candle, statue of a god or
goddess, 2 pieces of cloth, essential oil, flowers,
incense, potable water, food for offering, and a musical
instrument. None of this has to be elaborate. Or, a small
area on a floor or the ground will do nicely as well. The
altar may stay up, or it may be taken down when not in use,
as per needs and preference.

The working area is not of a set size. It should
accommodate a circle large enough for the participants and
the altar. This may be as small as about 4 ft in diameter,
or may be hundreds of feet in diameter. The size should
make it feel "cozy" and "intimate" with the persons
celebrating. Personally, I have never done this other than
alone or with one other person at a time.

Note that all of the ritual tools used in this ceremony are
optional. If you do not have them, use something else in
its place, such as you may substitute a drawing of a deity
for a statue. If there is nothing you can use in its place,
you can imagine it to be there. In fact, you can do this
entire ritual in your mind if you want or need to.

Method

We purify ourselves and the area where
we sit or stand too pray and worship by walking deocile
or clockwise around the circle sprinkling water from a
lota or cup with the following mantra:

You may wish to wash the Lord's or Lady's feet in
adoration with this mantra:

AUM PAADYAM PAADYAM SAMARPYMI, SRI SEVAAYE
NAMO NAMAH
Note: This is written as a puja to Lord Shiva. One
may substitute or RAMAAYE, SITA, TARA, BHAGALA, for
SEVAAYE as per the divine form worshipped at a given
time.

You may wish to offer the Lord or Lady a bath by
sprinkling water over the statue or in your mind with
this mantra:

Pray for whatever it is that you want, or whomever or
whatever you want at this time. Eat the prasad or
offered food.

Offer music. Sing, play the instrument(s), or however
you wish to make this music. It is MUCH better if the
music is made by you rather than played by mechanical
reproduction, even if you are not a good performer. It is
the intention that counts. If the Gods wanted you to be a
better performer, they would have already helped you to
become so. Or, you could ask Them for some talent during
the prayers.

This can be as long or as short as you wish it to be. If
it is going to be long, you may wish to save some of the
prasad or some of the water to sip for
refreshment.

Notes

Prasad may be anything you wish to
eat. Often, this is of fresh fruits or vegetables, or
butter, or milk. It can be baked goods or cooked foods as
well. It should not be meat, fermented, spoiled food.
However, ANYTHING you offer in love will be graciously
accepted.

Food, water, or other items offered to deities must NOT be
wasted! The food is eaten or drunk by the worshippers, or
it may be offered to other people after the ritual, or it
may be fed to animals or used to fertilize plants.

Oil lamps are more traditional than candles, however, a
candle works nicely.

Tilak is sandalwood paste, reconstituted with water. It is
applied to the forhead with one or three lines going upward
from the level of the eyebrows. This is normally made with
the thumb.

The type of incense is not so important. There are
different scents that various gods or goddesses "like" more
than others. Sandalwood is always good if you're not sure.
It pays to keep it around. The incense may be the stick
type, or it may be a piece of charcoal which has aromatic
herbs or gums placed on the tops.

Anything offered to the deity is placed before the statue,
or in your mind where the statue "should" be.

I have always mostly worshipped solitary. On a few
occasions, I have worshipped with one other person. There
is something about this that brings you closer to the other
person or people worshipping.

Personal Accounts

I did this the first time after my
own "dark night of the soul". I spent about an hour washing
the Lord's feet (statue) in tears for having abandoned Him.
I not only felt that I was "forgiven", but that there was
nothing to forgive! The one I had hurt by ignoring the Lord
was myself. Then, I had to get over being so touched by
Lord Shiva's kindness and love. All I can say is that this
was very touching to me personally.

Food offered is placed before the statue's mouth, or where
you imagine the statue's mouth to be. Normally, the gods do
not take the food, but it is symbolic. However, during the
mid 1990s for about a week, there were NUMEROUS accounts of
statues of Lords Shiva and Ganesha actually drinking the
milk that was offered to Them.

Copyright 2004 by Elizabeth Harper
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